The Real Fight
by hogwartspuckle
Summary: AU. Obi-Wan took Youngling Kate Gracelyn as his padawan at the same time as Anakin took Ahsoka as his. Kate is now a general, faced with the biggest challenge of her life: winning a war that could change the fate of the Galaxy, all while keeping the biggest secret she has ever had. A secret that could get her kicked from the Jedi Order forever.
1. The Outer Rim

The buzz and glow of the blue lightsaber igniting sends a rush of adrenaline through the Clone Troopers around her. If it were not for their training, her small four person squadron would be bouncing in anticipation. Suddenly, dozens of blaster shots shoot past them in the open desert ravine, all missing their targets.

Without a signal to her squadron, all five fighters charge into the mass of Separatist droids at the same time, destroying all in their path. The fighting goes by in a flash as all droids end in a heap of spare parts, the ground and walls singed around them.

"That's the last of them General." Commander Wist turns to his general, pulling the helmet from his head as the other three troopers, Ten, Giv, and Rider do the same. She smiles at them appreciatively, knowing the difference between them despite them all having the same face.

"Are they still jamming us?" Wist looks down at the comlink installed in the right wrist of his armor and shakes his head.

"No, General." Wist confirms the information she already sensed was true and the rest of the squadron smiles.

"Those clankers didn't stand a chance!" Giv cheers victoriously and she cannot help but smile at his enthusiasm, which she knows has not dimmed in the slightest after a decade of battle. Ten and Rider cheer with him while Wist turns to survey their surroundings, attempting to hide his own smile.

"We should contact General Kenobi. He will be eager to know our destination." She nods in agreement with her commander and holds out her arm to use her own comlink while simultaneously clipping her lightsaber onto her belt with the force. After pushing several buttons, a hologram of Obi-Wan Kenobi appears hovering above her palm.

"Kate! Where are you?" Relief is evident on his face.

"I don't know. Somewhere in the Outer Rim. Our ship was too damaged to get a location after the crash. I'll turn on my tracking beacon." Kate looks down and taps a button on a bracelet placed on the inside of her arm. When she turns it back over, Obi-Wan is listening to someone behind him.

"Did you locate their signal?" The other's voice cannot be heard but Kate can tell by the expression on Obi-Wan's face that they did. "We're coming, Kate. How is your squad?" Kate smiles at the affection her friends seem to have for her squadron.

"They're fine, Master. Nothing can kill these guys." Kate turns to the four clones behind her. "Right boys!" Their cheers are so loud that she is sure he can hear it on the other end. Her trooper squadron quietly starts talking behind her after their whoops of joy quiet down. Obi-Wan smiles and suddenly turns around. Kate immediately tenses at the alert look on her master's face but laughs when two figures come into view. "Ahsoka! Master Skywalker!"

"Thanks goodness you're alright. Are you hurt?" The relief in Anakin's voice is comforting as she realizes they are no longer stranded.

"We're fine. A little tired but other than that, ready to win a war." She laughs quietly at a joke the squad made about Anakin's new lopsided haircut but quickly clears the amusement from her face. "What are you doing back? I thought you were on a mission off-planet?" Ahsoka's excited voice comes through first.

"We were but Master Windu sent us back when he lost contact with you. If anyone can find a lost Jedi, it's us." Kate could not stop smiling, these people were the closest she had to family and everyone, including Master Windu, knows that. The sudden silence from her squad makes her freeze and realizing this, Obi-Wan speaks.

"Kate, what's happening?" Kate turns to look at Wist who had walked up behind her.

"Commander?" Wist backs a step away to not let Obi-Wan hear and whispers.

"Sir, there are multiple Separatist ships entering the ravine." Tensing, the squad members put their helmets back on and hold their blasters a little higher, ready for anything.

"Kate?" Obi-Wan's voice pulls her focus back to the hologram. She notices that both Ahsoka and Anakin have disappeared but takes no notice of it, assuming they were called away. Taking her lightsaber off her belt, she ignites it in her non-dominant hand, keeping the hologram out in front of her.

"There are several Separatist ships approaching." Kate relays the information to Obi-Wan and waits for worry to cross his face but it does not.

"Not to worry, General. There are no Separatists aboard those cruisers." Anakin's voice transmits from behind her through Wist's comlink. Confused, Kate turns to the commander.

"We're on our way down to you, Kate." Ahsoka's excited tone makes all of them relax and lower their weapons. A hiss releases from Kate's lightsaber as the blue beam disappears but she keeps the weapon in hand. Kate turns back to Obi-Wan whom is smiling mischievously through the hologram.

"A little warning would have been nice." His smile grows even larger at her remark and her heart warms at the sight she had not realized she had missed so desperately over the past three months.

"Where's the fun in that?" His form disappears as he ends the call and Kate turns back to her squadron. They have lost their calm and collected demeanor and have once again taken off their helmets, revealing their anxious faces.

"Ready to go home, boys?" By home, they all know she is referring to Coruscant where the entire squadron is given special quarters in the Jedi Temple per her request. Hers is the only squadron in the entire army that was given private quarters in the temple and they all accepted the honor immediately.

"I am so ready to get off this godforsaken planet." Giv replies happily and the others, even Wist, murmur their agreement. In front of them, the three Separatist troop carriers land in a puff of sand and when the ramp of the closest carrier lowers, Ahsoka runs down it. Forgetting all formalities after nearly three months of being away, she runs straight into Kate's arms with a satisfied sigh. Kate happily hugs back.

"Hey, squirt." Kate can feel a smile against her chest as she looks up to see Anakin walking towards them. Kate leans down to whisper in Ahsoka's ear when she sees the scowl on Skywalker's face. "Uh oh. Angry master approaching." Ahsoka immediately releases Kate and stands straight-backed beside her. Also noticing his approach, Wist, Giv, Rider, and Ten wait stand at attention, waiting slightly behind the two female Jedi. Kate bows deeply as Anakin comes to a stop in front of them.

"Master Skywalker. How good to see…" Kate stops mid sentence as she is embraced in a tight hug. Surprised, it takes her a moment to hug back but she does so happily. After several moments, Anakin releases her and keeps one hand on her shoulder companionably.

"Let's get you home." Anakin is looking solely at Kate, but the troopers know it is also directed at them. Wist nods and leads the way back to the ships. Kate, Ahsoka, and Anakin follow closely behind.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thanks for reading! This is going to have a fair amount of chapters and I plan to post one every Sunday. I may miss a week every now and then but plan to do my best to stay on schedule. I also have an account under 'hogwartspuckle' on AO3. Hope you enjoy!


	2. A Night To Remember

"No. Absolutely not." Kate says firmly, holding a shot of Master Yoda's homemade beverage.

"Oh, come on." Wist argues playfully. "It's going to be delicious." His sarcastic tone contradicts the excited look on his face as he stares down at his own thick green drink. The homecoming party is loud around them despite the small amount of people gathered in the Jedi Temple quarter. Other than the squadron, all now in casual clothing, only Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Padme are present, talking amongst themselves in the living room, leaving Wist and room alone at the bar.

"I will not be a pawn in your game, commander." Kate says playfully but after a pleading look from the commander, she sighs. "Fine, but if I get sick from this, I am placing the blame fully on you." Wist laughs and holds his glass up.

"Cheers." They clink their glasses together and Kate takes a deep breath before both choke down the bubbling liquid. Struggling to keep it in, Wist covers his mouth with a fist and Kate holds her stomach. After slamming the glasses down on the bar top beside the bottle, both back away from the liquid and turn to each other.

"I knew we would regret it." Kate says through her disgust. After a moment, both laugh, their mutual need to vomit amusing them, and they walk over to the others, situating themselves on the couch seated in front of a large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Coruscant. At their arrival, Giv, Rider, Ten, and Ahsoka stand up in unison and replace them at the bar. Kate glares at them accusingly as they walk away laughing. Kate realizes that she is sitting extremely close to Wist despite the empty space on the couch beside her. Anakin and Padme share a curious glance but Obi-Wan stares at them suspiciously.

"What was that about?" Padme asks first, always anxious to know anything and everything about what is going on. Kate smiles and turns to her.

"Nothing you need to worry about. They're just being troublemakers." Kate raises her voice to makes sure they can hear her, and she hears several giggles from Ahsoka. She feels bad for lying but technically it is a half-truth. Seeming to sense this, Obi-Wan squints and raises a brow at her. Ignoring him, Padme, Anakin, Kate, and Wist begin talking, Obi-Wan staying out of both conversations, watching them intently.

"Thanks for coming Padme." Kate grasps her hand tightly and realizes how much she missed the feeling of comfort she got whenever she was near.

"Of course. How could I miss my best friend's welcome home party?" Kate's smile spreads to Padme and Kate watches her friends laugh at the bar, downing drinks left and right.

"It's so good to be home after all this time." Kate looks out the window to the always crowded traffic-filled skies and relaxes immensely. The orderly rows of speeders zooming around town has always comforted her. "It's been way too long."

"It was nearly seven months, right? Isn't that a record?" Kate nods and senses Obi-Wan watching her closely. Used to his gaze, she ignores him.

"By a long shot. Usually I at least see Anakin or Ahsoka but since the war escalated, I did not even get that pleasure for nearly three months." Padme smiles and glances at Anakin, knowing her words are at slightly sarcastic: Anakin is not exactly an angel to be around.

"Well, at least you are home now." Kate's smile grows and Giv, Rider, Ten, and Ahsoka return to them.

"Well, this has been amazing but I'm afraid we have to get going." Ten says sadly, obviously enjoying the endless beverage choices at the bar, courtesy of the council. Kate's smile quickly disappears.

"Already? It isn't even eleven yet. You always make these last until at least two in the morning." Anakin and Wist stop talking and turn toward the others, sensing the sadness enveloping the room.

"Come on, let's just stay for one more drink." Giv pleads to his friends."

"Ten is right." Wist adds, rising and moving to stand beside Kate. "Unfortunately, we have to report to the High General in the morning." Kate shudders, the memory of her squad being put on janitorial duty for a month after they arrived hungover to a meeting after a late night with her in town coming to the front of her mind. Ahsoka walks up beside her, a reflection of the trooper's expressions on her face.

"I… I should go too. The council is sending me on my first solo mission tomorrow." Kate tries to keep a smile on her face and be proud of her friend but fails to hide her disappointment.

"Of course. You need extra rest for the task ahead. I understand." Kate nods sadly and silently receives hugs from her squad and Ahsoka before they disappear out the door. Only Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan remain.

"Well," Kate's heart sinks at Padme's voice, "we should follow. We have many details to go over regarding tomorrow's vote in the Senate."

"Still waiting on a decision from the Jedi Council?" I ask solemnly. Padme nods and she and Anakin walk out before waiting for a reply, knowing it would be the same as what was said to the others. After the door closes, she turns to Obi-Wan, she sighs expectantly, assuming he is going to leave too.

"Well, are you going?" Kate's voice is quiet as she looks up at the Jedi Master's .

"No. I want to talk to you about something before I go." Sensing his serious manner, Kate sits next to Obi-Wan on the couch and prepares herself. Seeming to struggle for the right words, Obi-Wan takes several deep breaths before speaking.

"I noticed the bond between you and Wist has grown stronger." Kate stares at him startled: this is not what she was expecting.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She tries her best to hide it, but he notices the flicker of fear in her eyes. Obi-Wan's anger is clear and Kate projects confidence into her posture.

"You know it is not allowed by the Council. If they find out that you still have feelings for Wist…" Kate interrupts before he can continue.

"I know exactly what they would do to me, Obi-Wan. I have seen firsthand what happens to people the council deems traitors to the Jedi Order." Her mind flashes back to her first year as Obi-Wan's Padawan. A close friend of her master had been accused of treachery. While the punishment is usually banishment, the council deemed it high enough to cut their lightsaber in half and leave them on a deserted planet, something that has never happened in recorded history.

"You have to stop this. I know what he means to you, but he is not worth being banished." Kate's anger starts to bubble, and she knows she is dangerously close to saying something she will regret.

"Don't pretend to know what he is to me!" Kate can tell Obi-Wan's rage is growing and the reserved anger in his eyes is enough to make anyone back down. But Kate had spent plenty of years under its gaze.

"I know more about this than you give me credit for, young Kate." Obi-Wan's calm tone and use of 'young' only increases Kate's rage.

"Why do you have to be so protective!" Tears line Kate's eyes as she argues with the person she only ever wanted to please.

"I am protective because I am your master and masters look over their Padawans." His anger comes to the surface, but Kate still refuses to back down.

"Why can't you be more than that?" Obi-Wan sighs and looks away, unable to make eye contact, the anger fading from him altogether and being replaced with something that she cannot quite place.

"My duty to the Jedi Order comes first, Kate." Kate scoffs, her anger boiling inside of her.

"So, since you're not my actual father the promise you made my parents all those years ago was half-hearted? Is the Order more important than the promises you made?" Obi-Wan turns back to her and Kate is flooded with guilt but refuses to let it show.

"Don't think that. I keep my vows. You are like a daughter to me but you and I both know the sacrifices we make for the Order." Kate sighs and looks at the ground, pretending to be interested in the bland white tile that covers most of her quarter.

"Look, Wist knows how I feel about him, but we made the decision long ago to not let that get in the way of our work. We hid those feelings along with any thoughts we once had about the future we could have shared. We are both invested in winning this war and protecting the galaxy and we cannot do that if we have a connection more than a commander does for her general." Obi-Wan turns away again. "Happy now?"

"I did not want this conversation to go the way it did." Kate sighs and nods knowingly.

"I know." They sit silently for several moments, neither sure of what to say next.

"You should know … I had a similar relationship with Satine as you do to Wist." Kate smiles at the confession of something Anakin had told her on her first day as Obi-Wan's apprentice nearly five years ago.

"I know." There is no surprise in Obi-Wan's expression as she turns back to him, only sadness. He has not mentioned Satine since she died several years ago during the Mandalorian Civil War. "Anakin is not very good at keeping secrets." She adds.

"I'm sure he would do better if he actually tried." Both Kate and Obi-Wan laugh and he reaches out to take her hand. Kate lets him, all anger far from thought. Kate looks down at the couch and Obi-Wan senses her sadness.

"What is it?" Kate looks back up at him and he notices the tears in her eyes. She tries her best to hide them, but the pain is so strong.

"Is the Order worth being pulled from everyone we love?" Obi-Wan does not have an answer for her and knows that even if he did, it would not be the one she was hoping for.

"I don't know." He says, pushing the sadness from his voice. "Kate, I have not forgotten the promise that I made to your parents. I have every intention of upholding my end of the bargain." Obi-Wan pauses and looks Kate in the eye. "I will protect you with my life. You misinterpret my actions as not caring but this is the way that the Jedi Order gives protection. Giving you a life in the Order is my way of caring." Kate nods, realizing that these words have been said before but not remembering when. Kate looks down at her lap and sighs.

"I should go." Obi-Wan stands and Kate nods. He walks out without another word and Kate is left alone.


	3. The Jedi Temple

"Eyes up, they must be. Focus on the droid, you must. Center your mind." There was so much going on around her, it made it hard for 9-year-old Kate to focus like Master Yoda instructed. She closes her eyes and tries to block out the dozen other Younglings in the room.

She has been taught to focus on one thing at a time, distinguishing them from each other until she finds her target, but there is so much noise. The sound of speeders outside the window, the nervous footsteps of her classmates, their breathing, her breathing, the whir of the training sphere. There. Focus. Home in on it. Kate forces her eyes shut even tighter and focuses on the training sphere.

She waits several seconds, her lightsaber ignited and following the training sphere's path based on pure instinct. It could strike at any minute or not at all. The training sphere was meant to be unpredictable in its patterns and approach. You are taught to not rely on what you think your opponent will do, but what it _is_ doing. You never know when your opponent is going to strike, especially when you are facing a person or species you have never encountered before.

Bang! A searing pain hits her hand and her eyes shoot open, her lightsaber automatically switching off in the process. A small red welt has grown, and she looks up to glare at the training sphere. There is a small train of smoke rising from one of the craters where the sting beams are stored.

Embarrassed, Kate does her best to recover and hide her disappointment from the other younglings. It does not work, and she can hear several snickers behind her. Rather than facing them, she turns to Master Yoda, hoping for some reassurance.

"Much work you still have." Kate's heart falls and, clipping her lightsaber to her belt, she turns around and joins the other younglings after a silent que from the Grand Master.

In the last several months, she has spent more time training than she has in the past 2 years all together. She has always been behind in her training but as she gets older, the gap becomes more apparent. Her skills in swordsmanship never grow in the way they should, no matter how hard she tries.

The one thing she can always count on is embarrassing herself. Everyone in the temple has heard about 'The False Jedi' by now, or at least something along those lines. People such as Master Yoda and Master Windu have tried to snuff out the rumors but once they were out there, they never went away. Some days, it is so bad she is convinced it is true: she is the false Jedi, incapable of being who she was raised to be. This is one of those days.

It takes her several moments to realize that Master Yoda had dismissed the Younglings and they are slowly filing out of the room. By the time she does, Yoda is standing directly in front of her, waiting to be noticed. The sweet smile that Kate loves is present, and she smiles back. _At least someone believes in her_.

"Forgive me, Master. I could not do what you asked of me." He grows suddenly serious and turns to head out the door.

"Good at other things, you are. Focus on that, you must." Kate smiles and hurries to follow him.

"Thank you, Master. I will try my best." He stops suddenly and turns to stare straight into her eyes.

"Do, or do not. There is no try." This is something she had heard several times, not only when it was directed at her. Still, it always gives her a boost of confidence for some reason, like there was a deeper meaning behind it.

"Of course, Master." Master Yoda smiles and continues walking. It being nearly 1 in the afternoon, there are dozens of other Jedi walking the halls. Billowing cloaks flow behind every single one, giving the illusion of wind blowing through the building. Walking in the opposite direction of her, an older Jedi and what she can only assume is his apprentice, are nearly jogging down the hallway, no doubt on their way to a mission judging by the excitement radiating off the Padawan. She recognizes another Jedi from a lesson that she attended a week ago, although their name evades her. A third Jedi is walking straight towards her.

"Master Windu!" Kate sprints down the hall to meet her Master, nearly jumping up and down when she reaches his side. Master Windu stops walking to look down at the Youngling, one eyebrow raised in amusement. He shares a look with Yoda before he continues his march towards their Grand Master. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices several surprised looks from the others in the hall and regains her composure.

"Master Windu. Good morning?" Master Windu stays silent for several moments as he turns to stand next to Yoda, both men looking straight at her.

"Indeed, Kate. I assume you just finished a lesson?" Sadness fills her again and she can only nod. Looking down at the floor and shuffling her feet, she misses the silent message that passes between the two masters.

"Then why do you look sad? You have always enjoyed your lessons in the past." Master Windu asks and Kate raises her head.

"It is hard for me to keep up with the other Younglings, Master. My skills with a lightsaber are lacking next to theirs." Master Windu raises his head thoughtfully, pretending to absorb this information regardless of the fact that he has known for some time.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Kate cocks her head to the side, a million thoughts racing through her mind. Yoda watches the two, a ghost of a smile on his face as he leans against his cane for support.

"I do not know, sir." Kate seems genuinely surprised by own her confusion which earns another smile from Master Windu, although he would undoubtedly deny it if he was ever asked.

"Perhaps you could visit the library. I hear the Lore Keepers have recently received new books." Joy immediately lights up Kate's eyes and she has to refrain from not bouncing up and down again.

"Thank you, Master! I will go right away!" Without waiting for a response but after a slight bow, Kate turns and sprints down the hall in the direction of the library. Swerving and ducking under and around other Jedi's limbs, she does her best to contain her excitement but somewhere deep down knows it is impossible. Quickly, she glances behind her to catch a glimpse of her masters and goes to raise her hand to wave. She runs into someone before she can.

"Woah. You ok?" Clutching her forehead where it had hit the person, she looks up into an unfamiliar Jedi's eyes. Their unique grey-blue color is complimented by their shoulder-length auburn hair. Kate laughs to herself.

"Your hair is funny." The man takes a step back, startled by what just occurred.

"I'm sorry?" The man says and Kate smiles.

"I said your hair is funny!" Kate emphasizes her words and repeats them a lot slower than she has to. At a loss for words, the man simply stares at her, mouth open.

"Who are you?" Kate's face becomes serious.

"My parents told me not to talk to strangers." Kate teases, knowing the man is well aware that she has not seen her parents since she was a toddler, as is tradition with Younglings.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. There, now we are no longer strangers." Kate considers this fact and after a moment, sticks her hand out in front of her.

"The name's Kate. Kate Gracelyn." Hesitantly, Obi-Wan Kenobi shakes hands with the Youngling, confusion clouding his thoughts. The one thing that is clear to him, is that he will have to ask about her later. Arms now resting by her sides, Kate smiles.

"Got to go! See you later!" Without another word, Kate takes off in the direction she was originally heading, making sure not to run into any more strange people.

"Wait? Where are you going?" Kate does not stop running even after she rounds the corner and is out of his line of sight. Unsure of what to do for what seems like the first time ever, Obi-Wan simply stands in the middle of the hall alone. Standing not even twenty yards from them, Master Windu and Master Yoda watched the conversation unfold.

"Talented, she is, in areas other than swordsmanship." Yoda comments after Kate runs off. Windu nods in agreement. In front of them, Obi-Wan continues to stand still, gaping at the place where Kate had disappeared.

"Her ability to take in not only historical knowledge, but tactical and military ideas is beyond anything I have ever seen." Yoda nods.

"Recognize this, the other masters do not." Master Windu turns to look down at his short friend.

"You are afraid she will not be chosen as a Padawan." It is not a question.

"Look past her physical abilities, they will not." Master Windu nods and he gets the feeling that Yoda is planning something.

"I assume you have a plan, then?" Master Yoda nods, his smile returning.

"Take her as his Padawan, Obi-Wan will." As Yoda says this, Obi-Wan seems to snap out of his state of shock and turns to walk back the way he came. As he too disappears from view, Master Windu replies.

"Kenobi already took Skywalker as his apprentice. Do you think he would take another?" Master Yoda sighs, deep in thought.

"Train her, no one else will. Her only hope, Kenobi is." With that, both Master Yoda and Master Windu continue down the hall, the many possibilities of Kate's fate in the front of their minds. If her potential was tapped into, she could be the most brilliant Jedi mind the galaxy has even seen. If not, she could be tempted to turn to others for guidance, a fate that could lead to much worse things than an embarrassed Youngling. A fate that could lead to the Dark Side.


	4. You Lose Today, But Win Tomorrow

When she wakes up in the morning, every part of her body is sore. From her ankles from when she had fallen while fighting, to her wrist from the dozens of arm-wrestling competitions that had occurred last night: most of which she had won.

"Damn you, Wist." She says, it being easier to blame him for her actions rather than herself. Vaguely, the knowledge of a Jedi meeting drifts to the front of her mind but she ignores it, knowing that even if she did make it, her fellow Jedi would use it as another reason to call her 'The False Jedi'. Being hungover at a meeting is something that is usually frowned upon, especially when it involves the entirety of the Jedi Order on Coruscant. Obi-Wan will bring her up to speed, she knows.

The one thing that gives her comfort is knowing that Wist is going through the same thing but must hide it during his report to the High General, something that, if he missed, he would get in much more trouble than she will. A smile breaks through the misery and, as she does, she has the sense that the worst of it is over. Leaning against the wall of her bathroom, Kate puts her head in her hands, exhausted despite the fact that it is only 9 in the morning.

"Q?" Kate hears the whirring of gears and after several seconds, Q, her protocol droid, rounds the corner.

"Yes, Master Kate?" If it was not for the automated feminine voice, Kate would have assumed the droid was male when she first received it. Obi-Wan had given it to her after her first solo mission as a show of support. Kate appreciated the offer, especially on days like these.

"Send a message to Padme. I would love it if she could visit as soon as possible." Kate was well aware of the Senatorial meeting going on later that evening, but she needed her friend right now.

"Right away, Master Kate. Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Kate wants to ask the droid to put her out of her misery, but she assumes they would take that the wrong way, so she stays quiet. After a slight gesture, the droid bows and leaves the room, the whirring of her motors following her out the room.

Kate assumes it will take several hours for the message to be received and read by Padme, considering the number of things happening in the Senate today. And even then, she was not sure if she would be able to come at all, she had other responsibilities outside of the Senate after all. She had some waiting to do, and absolutely no plans.

After thinking about it for a while, she decided that a day in front of the television sounded nice and found herself watching a rather interesting rom-com with a cup of caf in her hands. She was well into the series when her front door slid open to admit Padme Amidala. Obviously expecting some kind of greeting but receiving none, Padme stands in the doorway waiting for Kate to say something. She does not, her eyes glued to the TV. Taking several steps forward, Padme looks at the TV and sighs.

"Not you too." Padme groans, finally earning a glance from Kate.

"What?" Her expression asks the question more than her words. Padme sighs and sits herself down on the couch beside her, her elegant dress seeming out of place in the plain apartment.

"Ahsoka and the squad were watching this the other day. They spent a good 12 hours glued to the television and did not even get up for food." This surprises Kate: the squad would do anything for food.

"Just goes to say how good it is." Padme scoffs, obvious disdain in her voice.

"Good is not the right word for it. It freely shames the Senate, placing speculation and lies in people's minds that they have no right to spread." Hearing the passion in her voice, Kate is pulled back to the present. Reaching for the TV remote on the table in front of her, she pushes the off button and the TV goes dark.

"Well, then I guess it is not worth watching." Padme's eyes light up and for the first time I notice a great sadness behind them. "What happened?" Padme sighs, and something from that one movement tells me that it is related to the Senate.

"They passed the law." Kate's heart falls and she places her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know how hard you worked." Padme rests her hand on top of Kate's and sighs, her gaze curious.

"You have no idea what we were voting on, do you?"

"Well, I... I mean..." Kate stumbles to find the right excuse but none comes. Padme punches her in the arm, earning a surprised shriek in return.

"Did you pay any attention at all last night?" Padme asks.

"I was preoccupied!" A lame excuse, but an excuse nonetheless. Kate sits back up, having slid a fair way down the couch due to being assaulted. "I would love to hear about it though." After a glare and much consideration, Padme speaks.

"The number of crimes has risen lately and many people in the Senate want to take action. Somehow they came to the conclusion that reinstating the death penalty was the right course of action to take." Now Kate understands. Padme had dedicated her entire existence to politics and, when she was Queen of Naboo, she decided that she was not going to be the type of person who wrongly accuses innocents. The reinstatement of the death penalty on Coruscant goes against a statement that she has stood by since the beginning of her political career. If she had not had years and years of practice, Kate was sure that Padme would cry. But she did not and instead, Kate simply squeezed her hand.

"You lose today..."

"But win tomorrow." Padme finishes. Since the beginning of their friendship, Padme has always supported her, and this saying was one that they repeated to each other over and over again. It shows their never-ending support for each other while also assuring them that it will get better.

"It may seem bad today, Padme, but you are an incredible Senator and an even better person. You will find another way to help the system. The reinstatement of the death penalty is just one misstep that will probably be undone in a few months anyway." Padme nods but something tells Kate she does not really believe her. "You did everything you could."

"I know." She replies, her face still covered in guilt.

"There's only so much you can do sometimes." Kate can hear the guilt in her voice. Evidentially, Padme hears it too and turns to her friend, all signs of her personal struggle gone.

"What's wrong." She asks and suddenly Kate feels like a little girl again, talking to her mother about her day.

"I made a mistake, Padme. And I don't know if I can fix it." Her face is grave as she takes in these words.

"What happened?" Kate immediately turns her down.

"I cannot say. Not only would it harm me, but also my squad, and I cannot risk that." Padme opens her mouth to respond but Kate cuts her off. "I'm sorry, but you never know who is listening. My squad has gone through enough with being affiliated with 'the False Jedi' and her lies already, they don't need another thing to worry about." Reluctantly, Padme accepts Kate's words and stays silent.

"If you ever change your mind..."

"I'll let you know." The two smile and Kate is incredibly glad that she sent for her. She needed this.

"So... what happened while I was away? Anything important?" Kate's question surprises Padme and she takes several seconds to think about it.

"Oh, the usual. Tired, annoyed with the Senate, talking some sense into my fellow Senators..." Kate laughs, tucking her legs underneath her.

"Trying to avoid political scandal." Kate finishes and Padme laughs.

"Political scandal arrives whether I invite it or not. All I can to is try to keep it from completely overthrowing the Senate."

"Good luck with that." Padme elbows her and Kate giggles. They sit silently for several moments, staring out at the traffic and listening to the vehicles whooshing past. "Thanks for coming, Padme." Padme turns back to her and smiles.

"You know I'm always here for you." A wave of happiness washes over her and she is grateful once again that she is back from the Outer Rim.

"I know. I just felt like I let everyone down and you helped me see the bright side."

"Well, I have no idea what you're talking about but I'm glad I could help." Kate takes her hand a squeezes gently.

"Well, look at the time. I promised my advisors I'd be back by now." Padme stands up and straightens out her dress.

"More Senate talk?" Padme laughs and nods.

"It never seems to end." Kate walks her to the door, a feeling of content washing over her for the first time in a while.

"I'll see you soon." Kate nods as she opens the door. "Oh, and Kate."

"Hmm?" Padme turns to her, a serious look in her eyes.

"If you love someone, you don't let them go without a fight." This surprises her and she is going to comment but the door is closed before she can respond.


End file.
